Luke: A Hero's Story
by Demigods-4one
Summary: Luke didn't die when he stabbed himself, this is the story as the gods know it.
1. prologue

My first Percy Jackson fanfic, hope it's good x I own nothing the guy who made Percy does, oh and that is the author of the books, not Poseidon

* * *

**Prologue**

Kronos studied his new body closely; this body had been well prepared for him. His servants had done a great job, the body belonged to a demigod by the name of Luke Castellan, he had been a fit young man. Kronos could feel his strength in this body; feel his young power making him stronger by the minute.

He looked down, they on the floor was a blade. Kronos smiled to himself, feeling the young face move with such ease. This blade was deadly, it had been forged from steal and celestial bronze, it can kill mortals and monsters. The demigod Luke had never used it to kill mortals. Foolish boy.  
Kronos bent down to pick up the weapon, the young hands gripped the handle was so prefect. Kronos whipped it through thin air, it made a sound more deadly than it looked.

Kronos was stood on flat ground, a few frees were to the side of him to the left and a mirror to his right, this mirror was huge and stood looking out of place in the middle of a field. Kronos moved in front of it, looking at himself. He was confused by what he saw, he was a mighty titan lord and all he saw was a young weak demigod looking back at him, the only thing that was different to how this demigod should look like was his eyes, which were golden. Kronos remembered when he had first meet this demigod, he had blue eyes than, blank blue eyes. Kronos had quickly corrupted him. Bending the boy to do his will, turn him against the gods. It had been so easy, but then again, the young demigod felt abandoned by his father, he had felt the gods cared not for him, he had felt the gods were just using him. Kronos made him feel important even loved, if you can call corruption love.

They was only a little problem with this new body. A big problem for Kronos, he was shearing bodies. The young demigod was still there, somewhere, locked deep inside Kronos' soul.  
Kronos could hear him sometimes in the dead of night, regret filling inside him, wishing he had never left his stupid camp for young half bloods. Kronos was getting stronger by the day; soon he will silence the young boy for good. What is left of Luke Castellan will soon be dead, just a distance memory of his betrayal left to his friends.

Kronos moved away from the mirror. He placed the blade inside a holder hanging around his waist. He had work to do, he had made a new plan to rid himself of all half bloods, he was going to walk right into the camp. The camp borders will just see a demigod coming home, to the people inside the camp, they will know who it is and they will bow to Kronos.  
He came to the trees and stopped. Something wasn't right. They was a strange smell in the air, something that smelt like...

"Gods" Kronos raged, when he spoke it was Luke's voice. The anger that came out his mouth didn't go well with Luke's calm face.  
"Where are you, come face me" Kronos ordered.  
Kronos sniffed the air, they were more than one god, this place stunk of them.  
"Come out my children" Kronos pulled out backbiter, and held it ready to fight. He peered through the trees, they was nothing there, he pushed past low twigs and bushes, feeling the trousers he was wearing snag at the bottom. He stopped. Right ahead was a man.

He was wearing mortal clothes and in his more human form. He had blue eyes and dark stormy hair. In his hand was a lightning bolt.

"My son" Kronos teased.  
Zeus looked at his father with a stunned face, he had heard a story that came from his brother's son about a young demigod being host to the titan lord, he had came to see if the rumours were true. Looking at this boy, it was true.

His father had returned.


	2. Chapter 1

"Aren't you going to say hello" Kronos moved near. Zeus held up the bolt. Kronos stopped. He'd been on the end of that thing before, he didn't want to again. He held his sword to the side ready to strike if Zeus should try anything.

"What have you done?" Zeus got ready to use the bolt, stepping back as he heard a noise to his right.  
"Scared?" Kronos grinned when he saw Zeus move back. His son was a coward, just like the others.  
Kronos moved closer to Zeus, his blade held up. Up in the trees an arrow came down and hit Kronos under his raised arm, it smashed into his ribs.  
Kronos gasped as the arrow ran through the mortal skin. That had been so close to his weakness  
With a roar of rage Kronos looked up into the trees at the same time Zeus shuck him with lighting.  
"Tell me what you have done to the half blood" Zeus ordered. Not that he cared for the boy. The boy was the main reason Kronos was back, he just wanted to know how Kronos had got into his body.

Kronos got to his feet again and pulled out the arrow, red and gold blood came out the wound. So he was half mortal now. With anger he realised he was like a demigod for a few more days, that was not good at all.  
Kronos marched at Zeus, raised the sword above his head and brought it down. Zeus met the blade with his lightning bolt. Sparks flew off as the two weapons bit into each other.  
A second arrow came down from the trees. This time it hit Kronos in the abdomen, he let out a small yelp and doubled up his hands over the arrow tip, he looked up at Zeus.

Zeus looked at him and he was startled to see a young man looking up at him, his blue eyes full of fear and pain, as Zeus watched the eye lids fell down and reopened this time gold again. Kronos straightened and ran at Zeus, who charged the bolt and shocked the titan lord again; he fell to the floor pushing the arrow deeper into him.

Zeus watched as the person on the floor didn't move. A second man came into view behind Zeus. He had sandy hair and a bow over his shoulder. He walked right up to Zeus, who didn't seem to think of him as a threat. He reached for his bow and held it uncertain, looking up at Zeus.  
Zeus shook his head "I don't know what to make of this, one thing I'm sure about he's not as strong as he can be, using this kind of body" Zeus made his bolt go longer and used it to roll the body over  
"That's Hermes son, the one that went astray" Apollo told Zeus, who nodded  
The boy was coved in blood, red and gold, and some of the red blood was running out his mouth  
"If it wasn't for what we know I would let Kronos kill him and then I'll hunt down and kill Kronos" Zeus looked down at the boy with a look of utter revulsion, he knew if he did let Luke die with Kronos inside him, he'll become so strong they won't be able to stop him.  
"Maybe I'll kill the boy anyway, he's put us through Hades, get Kronos out and the boy is dead"  
"Hermes won't be happy" Apollo said, feeling sorry for his brother.

"We'll have to take him back to Olympus, see what course of action to take" Zeus prodded the boy in his leg, no movement.  
"Wait, he won't wake on Olympus will he, I mean, think about it, we can't have him running round up there" Apollo's voice shook.  
Zeus glared at him. "Well, why don't we call the rest of the gods and we'll have the meeting here, pick him up"

Apollo slowly stepped near the boy, he only looked about twenty at least but Apollo knew what was inside of him. Yes he could easy kill a demigod but a demigod with a titan inside of him  
"You sure he's fully out?" Apollo asked, doubt filling him. Zeus gave him a look which told him to 'get on with it'  
Apollo bent down and touched the boy's hands, pulling him up.  
In a snap of wind both gods and Luke disappeared.  
They reappeared on Olympus, a grand place filled with white Greek buildings and gardens filled with satyrs and other mythical creatures.  
Apollo had Luke in his arms, carrying him as though he weighted nothing.  
A man came running over to them; he had black hair and green eyes. Zeus acknowledged his brother Poseidon with a little nod. "I heard you found him" Poseidon looked at the figure in Apollo's arms "Hermes is here, we can't let him see his son in this state" Zeus shot his brother a dark look, how dare he be the boss on his palace but for once Poseidon was right.

"Is Dionysus still here?" Zeus asked Poseidon, who pointed over to a person who was making grape vines appear on the ground, the satyrs started singing and the plants grew.  
"Good, go tell him to keep Hermes out of the council room" Zeus told Poseidon, he walked off to the god of wine, who looked over. His eyes went wide when he saw Luke. Dionysus works at Camp Half Blood, he had known Luke before he went bad, he'd always tried not to care about the demigods but seeing one like this, no one disserved to be put though that. Dionysus walked off to find Hermes.

"Bring him inside" Zeus told Apollo. The two gods walked inside a large room.  
In here were two more gods, Artemis and Athena.  
The two goddesses watched as Apollo laid Luke down in the middle of the floor, he then went to stand next to his twin, Artemis.  
Zeus looked around for rope to tie Luke up but was saved a search by Dionysus.  
The god of wine clicked his fingers and rope like plants wrapped themselves around Luke.  
Zeus looked over at the door. Dionysus walked into the room and stood near to Apollo, but still stood at the door was Hermes, Poseidon stood next to him.  
"Sorry, but he guessed what was going on, and he wanted to see his son" Dionysus said, looking casually up at the ceiling.  
Hermes stood and stared at his son as though in a trance. He took in Luke's blood socked body, the blood pouring out his mouth and how his chest struggled to rise and fall,  
the ropes Dionysus had just put on him were already drenched in his blood.  
Hermes walked up to the middle of the room and knelt down next to his son  
"Luke?" He said quietly, he wanted the boy to wake up. As he thought of it Luke began to stir. He gave a little groan and took a sharp intake of breath. His eyes snapped open. He was in a tall white room laying on the floor, and next to him was...

"Father" Luke whispered. Hermes looked at his face; his lips were red with blood, his blue eyes looked dull. Hermes reached out to stroke Luke's hair but Zeus moved his hand back and dragged him away.  
"Why did you do that for?" Hermes asked him, for a reply Zeus pointed at Luke. In the few seconds while Hermes was being pulled away Luke's body had started to shake, his eye lids closed and re-opened and he sat up, ripping through the robes.  
"It's Kronos" Artemis reached for her bow, Apollo held her arm down. "Wait"  
Zeus looked down at Luke; Kronos had taken over him again. Kronos looked at Hermes.  
"Father please help, they going to kill me" Blood ran down his chin, his hand clutching his wounds. He held out his hand to Hermes, it was coved in blood  
"Help me" He chocked through the blood.  
Hermes' eyes were wide.  
"Please don't abandon me, like you did before, with my mother" Kronos tried to get up, he fell back to the floor. He could see Hermes' face, it looked pained his plan was working  
Hermes moved near to him his hands ready to help Luke up or to hug him. Athena ran to him and held him back  
"That's not your son Hermes" She pulled him back  
"Father please" Hermes saw Luke's hand go to his stomach, he pulled out the arrow. More blood came out of him. "Help me"  
"Don't listen to him" Athena pulled him back some more,  
"Get him out of here" Apollo ran over as Hermes tried to get back to Luke. With Apollo's help Athena pulled Hermes out the room, Apollo returned.

"Right, tell us how you have returned and we'll make sure your passing back to Tartarus will be less painful than it could be" Zeus pointed his lightning bolt to Luke's heart, Artemis raised her bow, this time Apollo didn't stop her, he had his bow out too.  
"How do you think, your little pets helped me" Luke's face split into a grin "You can see the proof in me, Luke gave his body to host me, your little demigods turned against you, every time one did I got stronger, now with this body I will be more powerful than all of you"  
"That's all we needed to know" Zeus held his bolt out and a powerful blast hit Kronos in the heart  
at the same time Artemis hit him with a arrow, it made a fresh wound in Luke's side  
Kronos looked up at Zeus  
"Hit me all you like, you're only killing the demigod, none of you can kill me".  
Apollo raised his bow and fired. Luke's body give a jerk and the eyes went blue, his face twisted with pain. Luke looked down at himself, they was blood everywhere, he felt dizzy. He screamed out in agony as Apollo's arrow ran into his chest. He fell backwards struggling to breathe, he looked up at Zeus, he was holding the bolt to the side as though waiting for something.

Luke gasped as his eyes rolled into his head.  
His eyes opened again  
"The demigod is dying, you can't help him now" Kronos laughed. His laughter rang out into all the gods ears  
"Than you'll die too" Zeus charged his bolt again and stopped, Luke had come to his right mind again, he picked up the arrow on the floor and stabbed himself under his left arm. Luke screamed as the weapon met his skin, he pushed it in more, feeling it get deeper. The gods watched in shock as Luke began to glow, Luke felt his left arm go limp.  
His head hit the floor and he didn't move again

A haze of smoke hung in the air. Zeus wafted it away with his hand. Poseidon walked over and looked down at the boy on the floor. The gold blood had gone, but the red remained. The boy was coved in his own blood, he was pale as death and far to still. He bent down and felt his neck; a faint pulse could be felt.  
"Bring him some Nectar, he's still alive" Poseidon shouted to the others  
"No, leave him to die" Zeus shouted "He brought this on himself, it's his punishment"  
Athena walked back in, she nodded in agreement with Zeus  
"The boy should die" She looked at Poseidon with a hard look.

"I thought you were wise" He shot back at her "How would you feel if this was one of your children, he made a mistake that's all"  
Zeus looked down at Luke; the boy was dying from blood loss from numerous wounds  
"Have you forgotten he once tried to kill _your_ son?" Zeus made the word 'your' longer than the rest.  
"And have you forgotten he once looked out for _your_ daughter?" At Poseidon's words Zeus looked back down at Luke, he had gone paler, he had less than a few minutes to live  
"Bring me some Nectar" Zeus shot at Apollo. He ran out the door and came back through straight away, holding a cup out to Zeus, who handed it to Poseidon. Zeus turned and walked out. Poseidon knelt down next to Luke and opened his mouth, he felt cold and clammy. He tipped a little of the golden liquid down Luke's throat. He waited a few seconds. They was no change in him, he lay still and bleeding. Hermes walked back into the room, he watched as Poseidon helped his son.

Poseidon looked at the wounds; the blood did seem to be slowing down.  
"Luke, can you hear me?" He asked. The boy didn't stir.  
Poseidon poured more Nectar into him. Hermes walked near; stopping just behind Poseidon  
Poseidon knew who was behind him.  
"There's still no response" Poseidon looked behind him at Hermes. Poseidon looked in the cup, they was only enough left for one more mouthful and if this didn't work... they couldn't risk an over dose. Poseidon poured the rest into the boy's mouth; he was already burning up with too much Nectar in his body

Luke's finger moved, he gave a little moan, he moved his head to the side.  
"We'll take him to Camp Half blood, Chiron can heal him, keep an eye on him for you, he won't be allowed to stay here" Poseidon told Hermes, who nodded.  
"So much blood" Hermes muttered. He couldn't believe someone could bleed so much and still live  
"They'll clean him up" Poseidon lifted Luke up "We'll go find Dionysus, he can take him to Chiron" They both walked out, some minor gods looking in horror at Luke, they found the wine god in the garden.

"Take him to camp?" Dionysus stared at Luke as though he was something very unpleasant.  
"Yes, take him to Chiron, tell him to tend to the boy, I'll be there to explain everything to him later"  
A hopeless looked pasted over Dionysus face  
"Oh ok then, as the young ones say, ok whatever"  
Dionysus face dropped when Poseidon held Luke out to him  
"You didn't say I had to touch him, cant you, you know, clean him up?" Dionysus waved at the blood  
"Do it" Poseidon warned.  
Dionysus reached out and held Luke, smelling his blood as he did. Pulling a face Dionysus disappeared with Luke


	3. Chapter 2

Dionysus looked out into the valley below him. He stood next to a tree; hanging up on it was a golden fleece and a dragon guarding it. He moved Luke up in his arms, rolling his nose up at the smell of blood. The camp was nearly empty. It was mid way through September and most of the campers had left for the year. Only a few year rounders where here. Good thing, if anyone saw the mess in his arms they would be panic.  
"Eww" Dionysus moaned as his hand found Luke's wound under his left arm

Dionysus gave Luke one more sour look as he made his way down the hill. He looked around for Chiron, it was important no one saw Luke. His heart beat faster as he walked closer to the main house. This was the best place to find Chiron; Dionysus wondered how he'll react to seeing Luke.  
He walked up the stairs to the house and pushed open the door. They was no sign of the centaur anywhere.  
Luke was like holding a sack of potatoes, Dionysus looked in the room, they was a sofa in the corner.  
Dionysus walked over and put Luke down, his head flopped to the side, his arm fell down over the side, blood dripping down his finger. Dionysus took a deep breath to calm him down.  
He took off his coat and flung it over Luke's head. If someone where to look in, they would see him for sure, but with his head coved, it would be safe. Waiting a few moments to make sure Luke was still breathing he rushed out the room to find the horse.

He didn't need to look far, over in the stadium they was a chariot race taking place, three chariots where in this race and a few campers were in the stands. Dionysus looked up into the stands, in the third row was a man with a horses body. Dionysus walked up the stairs and along to Chiron  
"Hello, nice to see you back" Chiron looked at the god and then back to the race. Dionysus looked at the drivers, he thought of how he would bring Luke up, he'd start with small talk.

"I see Peers and Hanna-belle are racing together, that should not be allowed, their driving is so bad even monsters would run away in disgust"  
Chiron smiled  
"It's Percy and Annabeth"  
"Yes but still" Dionysus looked down at his hands, which where coved in Luke's blood. He turned them over, looking at Chiron to see if he had seen, he hadn't.

"I've got a problem" Dionysus started. "And it's not my father keeping me here, well it's both our problems, well your problem more than mine, I can take a back seat, though if I must say I think the whole camp has a problem"  
Chiron looked at him "What is this problem"  
"I think me and you need to go for a walk, you have a problem that needs 'tending' to" Dionysus grinned. 'Tending', he shook his head. "Ohh and its urgent so I think we'd better go now"  
Dionysus stood up; behind him wearing a curious look walked Chiron.  
He looked at Dionysus as he lead the way back to the main house, on him was blood  
"Where did what come from?" Chiron asked  
"It came from in here" Dionysus stopped at the foot of the steps "you're in for a shock"  
Chiron followed the god into the room.  
"Oh yes, he's still with us" Dionysus sounded unconcerned.  
Chiron looked over on the sofa, he walked near, on the sofa lay a person who didn't look to good.  
"Who is it?" Chiron asked.

"Oh, you know him" Dionysus watched his face it showed concern, he wondered if he lifted the coat would that look still be there?  
"Who is he?" Chiron went to move the coat off his head but Dionysus moved his hand away  
"Would you still help him?" Dionysus doubted it very much "He has erm...annoyed a few here at camp"  
"Who is he?" Chiron asked again, looking at the hand. Blood drops were all over the floor.  
Dionysus pulled his coat away "It's Luke"  
he braced himself for shouting but it never came. Chiron looked down at his body, the wounds showing through the shirt  
"He needs Nectar" Chiron's voice was blank  
"He's already had some" Dionysus checked his pulse again; it was still very weak but quicker than before. "Poseidon has asked for you to tend to him; he'll be around to explain everything soon I guess" He looked up at the centaurs face, it was blank, unreadable. "You will help him, wont you"  
A long awkward silence followed

"I will, I cannot see him die in this way, no matter what he has done"  
Chiron picked Luke up from the sofa  
"Where are you taking him?" Dionysus asked  
"To the sick room" Chiron told him as if it was obvious  
Dionysus pulled at face at Luke  
"You can carry him though, I hate the smell of blood and he stinks" Dionysus lifted his coat up "Ohh look, his blood is on my coat! I will make him pay for a dry clean"

They walked outside, Chiron looked around to make sure they was no one there,  
He walked to a white building which over looked the lake.  
The rooms were all free, such few numbers at camp meant no one was sick. Chiron walked inside with Luke in his arms, Dionysus followed closing the door behind him.  
Chiron entered a room and laid Luke down on a high metal table; he could hear the boys ragged breathing for the first time.  
Chiron walked over to a lower table, he picked up some scissors and dressings.  
"Can you go find Argus, we'll need him to watch Luke" Chiron told Dionysus.  
He nodded and left. Argus was head of security at Came Half Blood.  
Chiron picked up the scissors and started to cut Luke's shirt off. It was lucky the material was thin, the scissors ran through quite easy.  
Chiron pulled out the bloody rags from under Luke's back, Chiron went over to the tap in the corner and ran some warm water into a small bowl, he picked some cotton balls and started to wash Luke's wounds, looking to see how deep they were. The deepest wound was his stomach, the boy had been lucky, no organs had been hit.

As Chiron started to examine Luke closely he was interested in his left arm. The arm was red raw, and it looked very painful. Chiron lifted the arm, underneath near to the armpit was a puncture wound and the skin around it had turned black. Chiron went back to the table and took out a cloth and Nectar, he washed the wound clean.  
He unrolled the bandages and rapped Luke's left arm up fully.

Chiron started to put bandages around his chest when they was a knock on the door  
"Come in" Chiron looked up to find Argus walking in the room, he looked down at Luke  
"We need you to stand by the door, don't let anyone into this house, the rest of the camp must not know he's here, it will endanger his life" Chiron had one person in mind when he said that, he knew Percy would love to find Luke in his way. Argus nodded "I'll start now".

Dionysus looked hopeful "That's a great thing, we'll have a few less campers, oh can I announce he's here at dinner tonight please" He sounded bright and cheerful  
Chiron ignored him  
"Can you get me a top out for him" Chiron nodded to a cupboard  
Dionysus opened the door and pulled out a fresh cotton t-shirt. He handed it to Chiron.  
Chiron put the top over Luke's head and pulled his arms through.  
Chiron continued to examine Luke, he raised an eye lid, the eye under the lid was blue but very bloodshot. Chiron felt around his arms checking for broken bones, he washed the blood off his mouth and hands.

Once he was satisfied the bleeding has stopped and Luke was all clean, he lifted Luke off the table and carried him out the room. Chiron took him upstairs to a room with a bed; he laid Luke in the bed and put the blankets over him.  
"How long has he been like this?"Chrion asked Dionysus, who shrugged "Don't ask me, I don't know"  
"Someone will need to stay with him" Chrion looked at the form in bed.  
Dionysus held out his hand and a can of Diet Coke appeared, he clicked it open and took a big mouthful  
"Oh not me" He moaned. "What if he wakes what am I do to, say 'Hey Luke' and asked him to stay put while I fetch you"  
Chrion gave his head a little shake  
"I cant ask Argus to do all the guarding, and two people need to be near him, one to make sure he dose not escape and a second to tell me when he wakes up"

Dionysus pulled a face  
"I don't think he'll be getting up any time soon" He laughed, looking at Luke, the boy hadn't moved since they got here. "I know"  
He grinned, he moved his coke can into his left hand, held out his right hand and clicked.  
Ropes tied themselves around Luke's right wrist, binding him to the bed  
"Problem solved" Dionysus took another mouthful  
"What?" he asked to Chrion's disapproving looked  
"You cant go tying up campers" Chrion said angrily

"Well he's not necessary a camper and I smell Poseidon" Dionysus said "He smells of seaweed"  
He walked over to the window and looked down, outside was the black haired, green eyed god  
"Lets go see what he has to say" Chrion led the way outside.


	4. Chapter 3

Poseidon looked on as a centaur and a god came up to him.  
"Chiron" Poseidon acknowledged the centaur "Shall we move somewhere more private"  
Chiron nodded  
"Dionysus, go back inside, watch over him"  
Dionysus scowled "He's not going anywhere"  
"We still need to watch him, he's very weak anything could happen to him" Chiron watched as Dionysus walked back into the room.  
"The main house is empty" Chiron pointed over to the other large white building. Poseidon nodded.

As he followed Chiron across the grounds Poseidon looked out for his own son Percy, he hadn't seen his boy for a few weeks.  
"Camp is empty" Poseidon noted  
"They over there" Chiron nodded in the way of the stadium.  
Chiron lead the way into the house  
"Pardon the mess, I'm going to get the cleaning harpies to eat that sofa" Chiron looked at the bloody sofa in the corner. He moved two chairs up in the porch  
"We'll sit out here, take a seat" Chiron pulled out a chair and Poseidon sat next to him

"Awkward business" Poseidon said "how's the boy?"  
"Half dead by the looks of it" Chiron lifted a hoof and rested it on a new chair.  
"Kronos was inside him, I guess you knew that, did Percy say anything?" Poseidon ran his fingers through his hair.  
"Yeah, he said that too" Chiron was watching the god, he looked troubled. "What shall we do with the boy"  
"Luke is safe now, he is himself" Poseidon moved his hair away from his eyes "He stopped Kronos by himself, nearly killed himself"  
Poseidon watched as a group of teenagers came out the stadium  
"I think we have company" he said

"How did Luke get in the state he's in, it looks like someone has tried to kill him" Chiron added quickly.  
"Kronos tried to kill him and my brother was all for letting him bleed to death, but to get rid of Kronos Luke stabbed himself" Poseidon was still watching the kids. A group of teens had stopped, a ring of onlookers were stood near, it looked like a fight.  
Chiron looked puzzled "Why stab himself to stop Kronos?"  
Poseidon looked away from the teens  
"The curse of Achilles, but how he lived I have no ideas, Zeus wanted to kill him" Poseidon looked up  
"I think you have trouble"

Chiron looked at where Poseidon was looking, and felt his stomach droop  
"Like father like son" He muttered  
"What is what?" Poseidon asked "Some of Ares lot?"  
Chiron shook his head  
"No, that is your son fighting with Zeus' daughter"  
Poseidon smiled proudly "Good boy Percy is, he takes after me"  
Chiron stood quickly  
"Last time I saw them fight they nearly killed each other, pardon me I have a fight to brake"  
"That my boy" Poseidon smiled.

Chiron galloped down the field, pushing past people until he finally came into the middle.  
A boy with black hair and green eyes was stood holding water in his hands and a girl with punk clothes stood near him holding her hands out, as Chiron watched she moved her hands and the boy fell to his knees  
"Give up seaweed brain" Thalia warned "I'm more stronger than you"  
Percy got back to his feet and the water rained down on the girl, knocking her over off her feet  
"Stop" Chiron moved in between them, holding out his hands "What is this about"  
"He rammed me on purpose" Thalia pointed at Percy who shouted back "It was a chariot race you idiot"  
"I was on the floor, I had fallen off and he rammed into me" Thalia moved her hands again and Percy fell to the floor, holding his legs  
"Stop it Thalia" Chiron pointed a finger at her. At the same time Percy made the water rise twenty feet into the air over Thalia, it came down on her crushing her underneath the pressure. She struggled back to her feet, coved in mud.  
Over by the main house Poseidon laughed  
Thalia ran at Percy and slashed him with a knife, which also sent electric shocks through his body.  
Chiron dragged her away "Go to your cabin" Thalia stormed away, she shouted back over to Percy "Don't make an enemy out of me Percy Jackson, enemy of me enemy of my father"  
Percy shouted back to her "And that makes me really scared, go shed your branches acorn head"

"Ok everyone back to your cabins, Hermes cabin you can have first showers as you won today, Percy you stay here I want a world with you" Chiron ordered. Annabeth helped Percy up to his feet and turned to look at Chiron "Back to your cabin please"  
Annabeth waved goodbye to Percy  
Chiron waited till the field was empty until he turned back to Percy  
"What were you doing, you know you're a powerful half blood, you know not to use your powers for jokes"  
"She started it, me and Annabeth were just walking and she came over shouting at us" Percy looked at his arm where Thalia had slashed him he looked for the water, it had gone.  
"Next time Percy, ignore her, now get to your cabin" Chiron walked away from him. Percy watched him go frowning at him.  
When Chiron got back to the main house he saw that Poseidon had vanished. He turned and looked for him, noticing Percy was still stood in the middle of the field. Chiron pointed at the cabins.

Percy saw Chiron pointing him away, he walked off. He felt annoyed, everything had gone wrong today he and Annabeth lost out to the Stoll brothers in the chariot race, somehow they had managed to rip a back wheel off and he and Annabeth went crashing into Thalia. He felt eyes follow him; no doubt Chiron was still watching.  
One out sight of the main house Percy turned around and headed instead to the sick house, he could find something to heal the wound on his arm. He walked up the steps and came face to face with Argus

"Hello Percy" Argus walked to the door, blocking Percy from coming any near  
"Can I come in" Percy held up his arm  
"No" Argus said simply  
"Please" Percy said "I don't want it to get infected"  
Argus laughed  
"Your father is Poseidon, go put your arm in the sea"  
Percy didn't find it funny "Oh come on"  
"No one is allowed in Percy Jackson" Argus turned all his eyes on Percy, Percy backed off  
"OK"  
he'd have to go to the sea after all. He grinded his teeth in an annoyed way and stormed off to the beach, here he got down on his knees, willing the water to keep him dry, and put his arm into the water. A once the pain stopped and the skin healed.

"Quite lucky that, I'd say" came a voice right behind him. Percy turned, behind him stood a man with bright coloured shorts and a cartoon fish top. Percy smiled at him, he hadn't seen his father for a while  
"Hi dad" Percy sounded awkward, him and his father weren't on great speaking terms  
Poseidon sat down on the sand near Percy, Percy moved his hand out the water.  
"Many dangers are in this world" Poseidon said, moving his hand through the sand. "and some dangers come from people we already know"  
Percy looked at him, he had once before been called a danger by the Olympian gods, but did his father really believe that too?  
Poseidon looked at Percy, who got a funny feeling his father knew what he'd been thinking.  
"Just be careful, you'll know what I mean soon"  
with that Poseidon vanished.  
'Odd', thought Percy

The bell rang through the grounds that signalled dinner time. Percy got up from his bed and walked out his cabin, he had the cabin all to himself, Tyson was away.  
"Annabeth!" called a voice from the left of Percy.  
Annabeth was leading the Athena cabin to dinner. The voice belonged to Thalia, she stormed past Percy as though he was not there  
"Guess what, after seaweed brain crashed into me I tried to go to the sick room as I think I have a broken rib and they tell me to go away" She tutted loudly,  
she barged into Percy as she hurried in the doors before him.  
Percy and Annabeth both pulled faces  
"I think you've upset her" Annabeth mouthed at him  
"Wait, I wasn't allowed in too" Percy told her, she just shrugged.  
Some off Annabeth's brothers and sisters started to moan at her, she lead them inside, Percy followed and went to sit at the Poseidon table, than the noticed he has sat in the middle, right opposite Thalia.  
"Your fishy smell is putting me off my food Jackson" She shouted at him, some of the campers giggled at his.  
Percy ignored her, Chiron was watching him, he remembered his worlds from earlier.

When all the campers had settled on their seats food appeared on the table and Chiron raised his cup and said "To the Gods".  
As everyone started to eat Percy looked up, Thalia saw him looking, she put a hand over her nose and made movements like she was being sick. Percy looked up at the main table, noticing that someone was missing. Mr D was not there. Percy wondered where he was.

Dionysus was still over at the sick house, he ran a towel under a cold water tap, rang it out and put it over Luke's forehead, the boy had started to burn up, he was sweating and gasping for air.  
As Dionysus watched him he groaned, his eyes twitching, his hands clenching on the blankets.  
Luke twisted in the bed, his back arching up, he gave a small yelp and fell back down and became still once more  
Dionysus went and sat back in the corner of the room with some cards, he'd been making a card tower. He placed two more cards on it when a noise made him turn again. Luke moved his mouth and some words came out, he was muttering in his sleep.  
Dionysus got up and tapped Luke's checks. Nothing happened Luke continued to mutter nonsense words. The boy was obviously delirious

"Argus, come up here" Dionysus shouted down the stairs, he heard footsteps outside and the door opened.  
"Yes"  
Dionysus pointed at Luke  
"I think I should get Chiron over here"  
Argus nodded "I'll stay here"  
"Thanks" Dionysus hurried from the room and out into the dark grounds, the moon was full tonight it looked very close to the borders of the camp. Dionysus opened the doors to the hall and he hurried up to Chiron, ignoring the campers who were watching him  
"I think you'd better come" Dionysus nodded his head to outside. Chiron nodded and stood up  
"After you have finished your meal, go to bed it's getting late" Chiron told the dinners. Percy watched them leave

"What it is?" Chiron asked, as soon as both of them where outside  
Dionysus looked behind him "He's waking, I'm sure of it"  
When Chiron entered the sick house the first thing he heard was a terrible moaning coming from upstairs, as the two climbed the stairs a painful scream came from the room  
Argus looked in alarm when they entered  
"He's just started to scream, as soon as you left he got worse"  
Chiron walked over to the bed. The right hand tied to the bed was pulling at the ropes, the left was now tucked under the covers with a pillow under his armpit. Luke was clearly in pain.

"Cant we just gag him?" Dionysus shouted over the tormented moans "He's going to alert the whole camp he is here"  
As soon as he said it Luke fell silent  
"I have a new talent" Dionysus beamed.

Chiron sat by Luke's bed that night watching as he struggled inside his own head.


	5. Chapter 4

The darkness pressed down on him, dragging him deeper into the dark corners of his own mind. His body burned as the wounds throbbed, his head span and his stomach turned.  
He didn't know what had happened to him, but something had, something bad had happened to him, what he felt now confirmed that.  
He wanted to move his hands but he couldn't, he could feel his hand but they wouldn't move.  
As he laid there his body burned as though he lay in flames. The pain grew.  
It felt like knifes were stabbing him in the chest. He wanted to shout 'Ow' but couldn't feel his mouth.  
As his body got heavy a picture of a man swam into his mind's eye, it was his father Hermes.  
'Are you happy now' he wanted to say. The picture vanished, replaced by agony.  
Now the knifes felt like swords, running him through.

He thought he could hear people talking nearby, their voices were dim and they echoed.  
He listened, trying to make out what the voices were saying.  
It sounded like two men, one closer than the other. A third voice come from far away.  
He became aware of his hands, one was stretched up near his head and it rested on something thick and soft, like a pillow, around it was something that felt like rope, as for his left arm, he couldn't feel it but he felt the pain, it felt like it had been crushed.  
He also noticed for the first time he had very bad abdominal pains, he moved his head over and moaned hoping someone will ease the pain.  
The voices went quite, His eyes squinting at the light coming through his closed lids  
"Luke" Some male voice said.  
He tried to answer them, it was getting light, the darkness lifting.  
He breathed out, making a 'em' sound; he felt his fringe move away from his head as someone felt his forehead. As the pain spread to his head the darkness returned and Luke sank back into a deep sleep.

Chiron bent over Luke, he opened his mouth and careful poured some water in Luke's mouth, his reflexes swallowed. Chiron had been up all night watching over Luke, Argus had came in half an hour ago offering to take over so Chiron could get some sleep, Chiron of course had said no.  
In the night Luke had thrashed around in the bed, his chest jerking up and his legs kicking, Chiron had held him down, hoping the boy was in no pain.  
Chiron kept thinking back to his conversation with Poseidon, had Luke really bathed in the River Styx, if he had and stabbed his weak spot he should be dead.  
Fitful coughing snapped him from his thoughts, he reached out and rubbed Luke's chest.  
Luke had bad coughing fits whenever Chiron tried to give him anything to make him feel better. Luke had calmed down a little when Chiron spoon fed him some Ambrosia, but now he didn't move at all. Chiron had checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive more than twice now.

Luke breathed out loudly, it sounded like a sigh. Chiron looked down at him.  
Luke's eye lids where twitching, his face twisting in pain.  
"Can you hear me?" Chiron said gently.  
Luke made a noise, his mouth moved; his fingers bent and straightened on his hand.  
Luke moved his right arm, which pulled at the ropes. Luke could hear him.

He was becoming aware of the pain in his left armpit and how hot he felt, he was laying in a bed with the covers right up to his shoulders.  
He shivered, his arm was tied to the bed as though they were keeping him here, and his body felt so sore.  
In his mind he remembered what had happened, he had betrayed them.  
He had tried to kill everyone here, he'd woken Kronos.  
If he was where he thought he was, he'd be dead in no time, these people would release him in the woods and hunt him down.  
Luke stayed still.  
For a while Chiron watched Luke, he was sure the boy was about to wake.  
He had thought for a moment Luke was awake.  
He stood up and crossed to the window, Hermes would be here soon, he had wanted to come and see how Luke was, Chiron didn't want to be the one who told him they had been no change. He walked to the door and opened it, with a last look at Luke, he left the room.

Luke heard the door click. Waiting a few more minutes to make sure he was alone he tried to open his eyes, they were very heavy.  
After about ten minutes he could open them, his eye lashes rubbed on his cheeks, he looked up and his lids opened a little at a time. He was in a small room, just a bed, a window and a small bedside cabinet. Sunlight crept into the room; the light was very bright to Luke.  
He squinted around, his right hand was tied. The ropes around his wrist were attached to the headboard. He looked at his left arm, he couldn't see it, it was under the blankets. Worst of all was his body, he couldn't see it but he knew he'd been used like a dartboard, the wounds felt deep.

He had to get out of here, this was Camp Half Blood, the people here wanted him dead!  
He slowly moved his left hand up, pulling the blankets down; slowly he lifted his left arm, bent it backwards and brought it out of the blankets. He reached over to his right hand and started to hack at the bounds, he gasped with pain as his left hand went numb, he suck it, than wished he didn't, under his arm stung painfully.  
After more hacking he finely could wiggle his hand out. He used his right hand to peer inside his blankets and met a white cotton top, where did which come from? He lifted it up and found bandages everywhere. What had they done to him?

Luke pushed himself up with his right arm and fell back down. He bit down hard as the pain grew.  
He tried not to let the pain control him; he'd enough of being controlled and he had to go now.  
Luke got up again, trying to ignore how his skin seemed to be ripping.  
He had sat up, the room was spinning, a buzzing in his ear. He swung his legs out of bed; these were the only part of his body that was unharmed.  
He slowly stood and doubled up; it was easy to walk like this, clutching his chest.  
He held his left arm in his right, also holding his stomach, stabbing pains shot through his gut.  
He crept over to the door, his bare feet making no noise. He stretched out a hand and turned the round door handle, the door opened soundlessly.

Luke walked out into the hall way, a banister ran right along the wall and down the stairs; he leaned on it, helping himself to walk. He was breathless after a few seconds, just being out of bed had made him weaker, he hoped he didn't meet a camper outside, he wouldn't stand a chance. Luke had come to the first step, he climbed down four small steps and turned and started to climb down the others. He got to the bottom and leaned over the rail, his head in his arms trying to breathe.

"Ah, Mr Castellan" came a voice  
Luke looked up, his heart pounding inside his rips, in front of him was a man with far too many eyes. Argus.  
Argus looked behind him  
"Dionysus" he shouted  
Luke was still holding onto the rail, the heat rose in his body, his vision going burly, he blinked it away.  
A man with dark hair entered the room, Luke hadn't seen him for ages, but he looked just like Luke remembered him, though it gave him no pleasure. A fear filled him worse than anything he'd felt being with Kronos.  
The two men moved closer to him, Luke's legs weren't working  
"Don't hurt me" Luke's voice was full of fear; he didn't know what they would do to him.  
He backed off more and his hands left the rail, his legs gave way and he fell to the floor with a yelp of pain.

Dionysus walked to the side of him and bent down, ropes wrapped themselves around both hands and new ropes went around his legs, binding him on the floor, at their feet.  
"Don't..Please" Luke begged, he was exhausted and felt very weak next to a god.  
"Go get Chiron, tell him Luke's awake" Dionysus told Argus, who ran out the house.  
"Now what are we going to do with you" Dionysus looked at Luke.  
The boys blue eyes were wide, they was sweat on his forehead and he looked white.  
"Don't kill me" Luke felt sick, this was it. When Chiron got here he'd be sentenced to death, he'd be dragged outside and killed.  
Both Dionysus and Luke just watched each other. Luke could hear hooves coming closer.  
"Please he's going to kill me" Luke whispered.  
The hooves were outside, Luke tried to struggle, his eyes were closing, Dionysus held him down, he didn't need to, Luke was so weak now he could barely keep his eyes open.

Things got worse for Luke; footsteps followed the Hooves and when Chiron entered the room in came Hermes and Apollo.  
"Oh no, please" Luke mouth had gone dry; he would be in the E-Z death line to the underworld any moment now.  
Chiron looked down at Luke and then at Dionysus. He walked near to stand over Luke, who started struggling again to get away.  
Luke moaned out in pain as hands pressed down on the wounds  
Chiron was talking but Luke couldn't hear, the buzzing was loud in his ears, black spots swam in his eyes.  
"I'll take him" Hermes said, he moved to Luke and bent down, his hands going around Luke's arms and around to his back. Luke had frozen with fear  
"Don't kill me" was all Luke could say.  
Hermes looked in shock at Luke, his son, once so brave and strong was now so broken.  
Hermes didn't know what to say to his, he picked Luke up from the floor, noticing how his son was shaking. Hermes, Chiron and Apollo went upstairs, Hermes carrying Luke.

Hermes lay Luke back down on the bed, the bed felt soft and safe to him now, Luke was so tired he could of slept for days, but he knew he was going to sleep, for a very long time, his father or Chiron would see to that. Apollo was looking out the window, Chiron moved to the bed, he lifted Luke's top and looked at the wounds, Luke had his eyes shut tight, trying to block them all out.  
'They'll go away or kill me, just got to keep my eyes closed' he thought.  
He felt a stinging pain in his side, 'that must be them starting to kill me', he clenched his hands together.  
He felt someone touch his hands, than both hands moved apart. Someone had laid his hands on the bed. Than an odd feeling on his legs told him someone had taken the ropes off.  
Still Luke lay still with his eye shut, waiting for the pain and blackness.  
He felt something on his chest, someone had pulled the blankets up, maybe they would suffocate him with a pillow.  
Something was moving up the bed.

He could feel it; something long was coming near to his face, it stopped at his neck.  
Something tickled him, he gave a little moan, trying not to cry with fear  
'Poor Luke'  
He took a sharp breath, someone had moved his left arm back onto a pillow, his under arm wound throbbed as it was placed at a higher point then the rest of his body. He kept his eyes closed.  
He felt something move again, something else touched his neck, it tickled again  
'Hey Lukey'  
Luke listened out, he could hear Chiron and Apollo talking but Hermes was quite.  
'Got a rat for me Luke?'  
"Not the time" Came Hermes' voice, Luke's heart beat so fast it was skipping beats here and there  
'Calm down Luke, your ticker's gonna go bang'  
'Well done, that really calmed him, but Luke, you need to relax or you're going to have a heart attack'  
Something touched his neck, this time it felt human  
"They're right, he's getting far too stressed" someone said  
The thing touched his neck again, the tickling was starting to annoy him.  
"Should I?" The voice said.  
'Ohh magic is it? Can you get me a guinea-pig'  
Luke opened an eye just a little to squint at what was happing.  
Two snakes where laid out on his chest, their tongues were flickering at his neck, feeling his heart beating.  
Someone moved from the side of him and he closed his eyes again.  
"I told you, I'll feed you later now is not the time and please if you don't mind" Hermes said  
"Of course I don't mind, I am the god of medicine after all"  
Apollo clicked his finger, it sounded too loud for Luke, it echoed in his sore head, he felt the pain go and his body felt better, his heart beat slowed as he fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 5

Luke turned his head over on the pillow; his chest raised and fell slowly as he slept. Birds outside the window chirped and sang and the sun's beam shot in the window onto his face and still Luke slept.  
For the first time in five years Luke's dreams were peaceful, Kronos didn't appear, his voice was not heard and monsters stayed away.  
His left arm had healed a little while he'd been sleeping; it now was back to its right colour, white and not black. His chest wounds had also healed, they were smaller now. Luke could smell damp grass coming in from the window and hear the sound of the wind over by the woods.

He opened his eyes. Everything was bathed in orange light. It was morning and the sun had just risen by the looks of it.  
Argus was stood by the door, probably making sure Luke didn't run off, that thought ran through his mind.  
Argus watched him, for a second all of his eyes met Luke's.  
Luke thought it best to roll over and face the wall, it'd been ages since he'd laid like this, it was comfortable. He lifted his arm and rubbed under his left armpit, it was still sore put most of the pain had gone. Everything seemed slow to him, the birds were singing outside but it was a few seconds till he heard it, his head sunk back into the pillow, it must of been early still, the camp was quite expect for the birds, he though back to last night, what had Apollo done to him, to make him sleep like that.  
Thinking of Apollo made him feel sleepy, he looked back to the door, Argus' eyes were still on him. He moved his legs and rested his feet near the wall, he closed his eyes again.

Chiron sat on the chairs outside the main house with Dionysus. The god of wine was trying to conjure up alcohol without his father Zeus noticing, it wasn't going well, judging by the storm clouds rolling around outside camp.  
"Oh as you wish" Dionysus clicked his fingers and Dr Pepper appeared "I'm getting sick of Diet Coke, I do not need to diet"  
He rubbed his ever growing belly  
A few campers had stirred and the early risers where walking over to the stables and others were walking around with brushes to clean out cabins.  
"Lets swap fathers, you can have Zeus and I'll take Kronos" Dionysus scowled up at the sky, thunder rumbled.

Chiron smiled "I wish, but alas, we can't choose family"  
"No" Came a voice. Hermes walked outside the main house. "Luke must wish for better"  
The god of thieves looked over at the sick house with a pained look

'We love you, if we could pick, we'll pick you every time'  
The two snakes headed around the rails to the porch. Hermes smiled at them.  
'Guinea-pig'  
'Stop thinking of your gut'  
'Our gut, we are joint'  
'How is Luke? Poor Luke, he needs a hug'  
'I'll give him a hug is he gives me a rat.'

Hermes turned away from them. He sat down next to Chiron, the centaur knew how he was feeling  
"What happened to him was not your fault"  
Hermes looked at him  
"It was, I should of looked after him better, should of told him to be careful, should of visited him when he was growing up, when he had only...May to talk to" He shivered. The bad memories came back to him, Luke as a fourteen year old, shouting at him in his mother kitchen, saying he was scared, Hermes saw the tears on his face and then the other night Luke was that scared fourteen year old again.

'Poor Hermes'  
'I'll give Hermes a hug if he feeds me'  
'Shut up'  
Martha wrapped herself around George, silencing him  
"Thanks" Hermes called over to her.

Hermes stood "I'm going to see him", he held out his hand and the snakes came over. He walked over to the sick house. Argus was outside telling a camper he couldn't come in  
"But my leg is burnt" The boy moaned.  
Argus shook his head "No" was his answer.  
Argus nodded to Hermes and left him pass  
"What or who is in there, is it some Hermes camper or something, we've seen from our cabin, lights on during the night, we know someone is in there"  
The boy stood his ground. Argus ignored him.  
"Let me in or I'll tell the camp you are hiding someone"  
"Go ahead, tell, scream it out loud, you're not coming in" Argus said, shutting the door in the boys face.

Hermes pushed open Luke's door, he saw at once why Argus was downstairs. Luke was still sleeping, he'd moved since Hermes was in here last. As Hermes watched Luke eyes opened, he turned his head over to look at Hermes and then back to the wall. Hermes walked over  
"Hi Luke, how are you feeling"  
Nothing. Hermes had expected that.  
Luke rubbed his eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them  
"How long have I been asleep?" he tried to keep his eyes open  
"Two days" Hermes sat on the edge of Luke's bed, his eyes were closed again  
Hermes sat next to Luke for a while watching him as he struggled to stay awake and then he dozed off again,  
after a while hooves could be heard coming up the stairs.

Chiron walked through the doors with a cup  
"Got him some medicine"  
That woke Luke up, he wasn't taken anything they wanted to give him, not after he was still feeling Apollo's sleeping hand trick.  
Chiron came near the bed and put the medicine down on the table  
"Luke" Chiron gently tapped his arm  
"He was awake a second ago" Hermes said.  
Luke felt sour, trust his father to blow his cover, he had no choice but to open his eyes.  
"I've got something for you, it'll make you feel better" Chiron pointed at the cup  
Luke looked at the cup, anything could be in there, even poison.  
"Can you sit up?" Chiron asked as the picked up the cup, Luke stayed down.  
"Drink it" Chiron moved the cup near to his mouth, Luke looked at the liquid inside, it wasn't water.  
Luke moved his head back, eyeing the cup wearily.  
"You have to drink it Luke" Chiron told him.  
Something with Chiron's voice made Luke nervous, it confirmed Luke's feeling that whatever was inside that cup was to kill him  
"No" Luke moved back in bed, he wasn't letting that cup anywhere near him  
"It's just medicine Luke, nothing more" Chiron tried again to get Luke to drink. Luke kept his lips tightly closed, feeling like a little kid.  
"OK, were not going to force you, but soon you will start being in pain again, and this is the only thing that helps" Chiron stood up and rubbed Luke's arm "I'll be back later".

Hermes followed Chiron out the room, once outside he glanced up at the window to Luke's room  
"Is he going to be ok?" Hermes asked.  
"It'll take time getting through to him" Chiron answered. They walked back to the porch; the sun had vanished behind storm clouds, lightening flashed over head, Dionysus grinned guilty.  
"He'll have your head" Hermes told him,  
Dionysus sipped the coke, Hermes got the feeling it was mixed with something else as at that minute it started to rain inside the camp.  
"Well I am made to suffer here; I do deserve a treat once in a while".

Chiron sat in silence, trying to think of a way to get Luke to take the medicine. He thought of a way, it would probably work but it could put his life at risk if anyone found out about him being here, but the campers where going to find out sooner or later...

"You look like you could do with some Diet Coke Chiron" Dionysus giggled.  
He got up unsteadily and walked to a small bag by a chair and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid.  
"Your son's are great, them Stoll brothers went and stolen this from a shop" the wine god said to Hermes, he clicked his fingers and Diet Coke appeared, he added some of the liquid to the cans,

"Have some, it's nice".  
At that moment a man appeared next to Dionysus, he held out his hand and took the bottle off him  
"Father" Dionysus said brightly to Zeus, who shot him a warning look "Do you want to spend two hundred years here?"  
Dionysus shook his head  
"No I'm sorry"  
"I didn't come here just to tell you off, I wouldn't waste my time, I came here to talk to Chiron"  
Zeus took a seat next to Hermes.  
"What is the progress on the boy" Zeus said sternly.

Percy was woken by a loud banging on the door  
"What the hell" He sat up in bed as the door banged again  
"Wake up seaweed brain"  
Percy got up out of bed and picked up riptide, having a mind to slash the person at the door. He uncapped the pen and opened the door  
"You have five seconds to explain..." And stopped.  
Annabeth and Thalia were standing at his door, Percy felt the heat go to his cheeks  
"Ohh cute PJ's Percy" Thalia teased.  
Percy found his words "What..I was in bed"  
"Well get ready or come out in your pyjamas, you need to see this" Annabeth ordered. Percy chose to get dressed. Thalia called through the door for him to hurry up.  
"Right what's so urgent?" Percy asked, running a comb through his hair. Thalia laughed more at this.  
"A godly meeting, come see, I've never seen them like this"  
Annabeth lead the way around the cabins, the main house came into view and on the porch were three gods.  
"What are they doing?" asked Percy.  
He looked on the porch; Zeus, Dionysus and Hermes were sitting with Chiron  
"What's what we want to know" Annabeth said "Gods don't just come to Camp unless something is wrong.

Hermes bit his lip and avoided his father's eyes, he knew Zeus nearly allowed Luke to die, if it hadn't been for Poseidon standing up to his brother Luke wouldn't be here today.  
"Well" Zeus said after no one spoke.  
Chiron looked at Hermes "He's getting better"  
Zeus looked at the centaur "So, he not showing any signs of re-joining the Titans? Kronos is only down in Tartarus, he's not dead. If they is any doubt about the boy, he must be killed"  
Hermes stomach clenched  
"They is no doubt" he said quietly  
"They is no doubt" Zeus repeated Hermes' words "So, is he on our side or Kronos'? As I am here I can save Olympus the hassle and deal with him" He held up the lightning bolt  
Hermes gave his father a pleading look "He's on our side, he just needs time"  
Dionysus shot Hermes a shocked look and shook his head, Hermes realised too late he'd said too much  
"Time? Time for what?" Zeus looked right at Hermes.  
"He's just a little jumpy" Hermes looked at Chiron for help, Chiron turned back to Zeus  
"Give him more time, and he'll be back to his old self"  
Dionysus rolled his eyes at him, stupid man  
"Yes his old self, running off to Kronos and stealing my bolt" Zeus thundered, at the same time thunder rumbled through the sky, no one spoke  
"Please just can I have time to put things right with him" Hermes asked his father  
Zeus was quite for a while, he came to his decision.  
"The boy must remain here, no more quests, no leaving camp at all, he's not to leave this place under any reason, if it's a matter of life and death and the camp is under attack then he can only leave with you Hermes, understood"  
Hermes nodded, relief filling him  
"When you leave here I will entrust his care to you Chiron, the boy must not leave and you will do all you can to keep an eye on him, do you agree to this?" Zeus asked  
"I do" Chiron said.  
"The boy lives on then, I must return to Olympus" Zeus stood "Oh and fair warning, I will be watching and if the boy steps even a toe past the boundaries I will kill him"  
Zeus vanished.  
"I thought I had it then" Dionysus said.  
Hermes sat in silence; his beautiful son had been mere seconds from being murdered.  
Chiron stood "I'm going to try Luke with the medicine again if you want to come" Hermes seemed not to hear him.

Chiron pushed the door open, Luke was sat up in bed, his right side resting on the wall, his right arm holding his left.  
"It hurts" Luke said weakly  
Chiron walked over to him. He put his hand on Luke's forehead, he was burning up  
"Lay down, you shouldn't be sitting up" Chiron said to him softly  
"I feel sick laying down" Luke lifted his legs and placed his head in his knees, still clutching his arm  
"The medicine will help, Apollo made it, it will make you feel better" Chiron stroked his hair, Luke wished he wouldn't.  
"No, not taking it" Luke whispered into his legs  
"Luke it's only going to get worse, I don't want to see you suffer"  
Chiron waited, but Luke remained stubborn.  
"If you want it, it's here" Chiron placed it on the table. He hoped Luke would take it on his own.  
"I don't want it" Luke muttered as Chiron left the door.  
Outside Chiron waited on the steps, Argus was still guarding the house.  
He was thinking about the thoughts that had crossed his mind earlier on in the day. Luke didn't trust the gods, not after they attacked him when Kronos was inside him. They was someone here at camp that Luke still trusted. If this person was to help, it would save Luke so much pain and if this person didn't help, well Luke would take the medicine after a while. He hoped.

Chiron walked back to the main house  
"Luke's still refusing, I think someone at the camp can help him, is it OK if I tell her?"  
Hermes was quite, he knew who Chiron was talking about, it was all her fault Luke was like this, she was to blame. But if she could help Luke now  
"If she can help Luke, tell her" Hermes said


	7. Chapter 6

Chiron looked around for Annabeth; he looked in the Athena cabin but she wasn't there  
"Where is Annabeth?" Chiron asked one of her siblings  
"I think she is over by the wood, talking to Grover" he said  
Chiron walked over to the woods; sure enough Annabeth was talking to Grover. Chiron walked over; as he did Percy came out the woods with a large Hellhound Mrs O'Leary.  
"Annabeth will you come with me please" Chiron asked her  
"Oh" Annabeth felt dread inside her, had they been seen spying on the gods "Why"  
"I just need to talk to you, alone please" Chiron smiled at her  
"Em..ok" Annabeth smiled at Grover and Percy, she followed the centaur  
He lead her back to the main house, her stomach dropped when she saw Hermes, he was very angry with her because she had ignored Luke when he needed her most.  
"Hello Hermes" she said timidly, the god looked back at her blankly.  
"Annabeth" he looked down.

"Sit down dear" Chiron pulled her a chair up. Dionysus had gone. Annabeth sat. Looking from Chiron and Hermes.  
"We need your help Annabeth, will you help us?" Chiron asked her  
"What is it?" Annabeth sat up and listened, waiting for Chiron to speak  
"We need to get through to someone, he won't listen to us, but we think he'll listen to you" Chiron told her,  
Hermes sniffed and leaned his hand on his head.  
"We would like you to help, it's your choice, but if you choose not to help, will you keep our secret, you can't tell anyone just yet" Hermes asked.  
Annabeth nodded  
"We need you to come over to the sick house if you don't mind, he's over there"  
Annabeth and Chiron walked over the grounds, when they got to the house Argus tried to stop Annabeth  
"She's with me" Chiron said, Argus stepped aside and nodded for them to go in, at the stairs Chiron stooped  
"He's upstairs, if you wish to leave you may, but if you could would you please try to give him some medicine, he's refusing it from us, but me and Hermes think he'll take it off you"

"I'll try" Annabeth followed Chiron up the stairs, she was nervous at who she will find in the room  
Chiron opened a door and walked inside, he held the door open for Annabeth to come in  
"I've brought someone to see you" Chiron called to someone.  
Annabeth walked inside, the room was small, the window let in most of the sun and under this was a small bedside table.  
On the bed someone was sat up rocking backwards and forwards, Annabeth couldn't see his face but she knew who it was, she knew that blonde hair a mile away, her eyes filled with tears, she blinked them away  
"Luke?" she sounded like something was stuck in her throat.  
She looked at him, he was wrapped in bandages, she could hear his breathing from over where she stood  
"You still want to help him?" Chiron asked her, she nodded.  
"Try to talk to him and give him this, it'll take the pain away" He handed her a cup. "I'll be right outside the door" He left.

She walked over to the bed  
"Luke, what happened to you" her eyes filled up again and her voice shook.  
Luke continued to rock.  
She reached out and touched Luke's arm, he cried out in pain  
"Sorry" Annabeth said quickly, his arm was hot  
"Don't be" Came Luke's voice, it broke Annabeth's heart, it sounded broken and full of pain  
"I have something for you, you can trust me" Annabeth said, she hated seeing him like this.  
Luke ignored her, he knew she was talking about the medicine.  
He bit down hard as the pain reached full strength, his temperature soared and he felt like he was going to faint. He gave a little moan, pushing his head into his knees to keep himself conscious.  
"Please Luke" Came Annabeth's voice "I would never give you anything that can hurt you, you're like my brother". Oh why did she had to say that, every memory of him trying to kill her came into his mind  
"You must hate me" he said through the pain.  
"I don't, you just made a mistake Luke, you're not a bad person" Annabeth felt wetness running down her face, she brushed it away  
"I am bad, all the things I've done, I tried to kill you, you Annabeth, I promised we'd be like family, that I would look out for you" Luke's voice was getting dangerously faint.  
"Well you can make it up to me" Annabeth suddenly got an idea  
"How, I'll do anything" Luke clutched his arm and stomach more, the pain was terrible.  
"Swear on the River Styx" Annabeth smiled  
"I swear" Luke gasped  
"Good, then I wish for you to drink this" Annabeth flushed with victory  
Luke groaned, he'd fallen for it, but he had to stay true to his word, he slowly lifted his head up, the light blinded him, made him feel dizzy, the cool air hitting his face.

"Luke, you look terrible"  
his face was white, eyes were red and sweat coved his face. Luke looked at her, she moved the cup to Luke's lips and finally he drank.  
It didn't taste nice; it made his body tingle as it went down. Annabeth moved the cup away when it was empty  
"Better?" she asked, Luke nodded, it had cooled him down, the pain was leaving him  
Annabeth put her arms around him, holding him close, it was great to have him back. She let him go and looked into his eyes; the blue was back  
"Do you remember anything?" She asked.

Luke knew what she meant  
"At times" He looked around for water "when Kronos had his guard down I could fight him, back on Olympus I was in my own mind, I stabbed myself with my blade, I stopped Kronos, that's all I can remember, apart from the gods hitting me with arrows and Zeus shocking me" he smiled for the first time in weeks.  
Luke laid back down into the blankets; the sickly feeling had gone, his body felt cool as though he was laying in a lukewarm bath, his eyes itched with tiredness.  
The stuff in the cup hadn't been poison after all, he felt a little stupid.  
"Annabeth"  
Chiron moved his head around the door; he nodded for Annabeth to come over  
Outside Chiron looked at Annabeth "Has he taken it?" She nodded "Good, hopefully he'll take it again if he needs to"  
"How long has he been here?" She whispered  
"Not very long, three days ago he got here" Chiron told her. "You need to leave now Annabeth, Luke needs to sleep, with you around him he won't, you understand?"  
"Yeah" Annabeth muttered sadly, she would love to talk to Luke all day, stay with him all night but she would never be allowed  
"Will I see him again?" she asked.  
Chiron nodded "Sure, he'll be up and about in no time he just needs rest"  
"Can I go say goodbye to him" Chiron nodded so she went back in the room. "Luke I've got to go now, Chiron said you need to rest" She looked down at him. He was laid on his side, one of his arms around the blankets, his eyes closed  
"Bye" He muttered,  
"Bye" she rubbed her eyes and left the room, looking behind her.

Chiron walked her back down the stairs, "Annabeth, not a word to anyone until I can tell the full camp"  
"Ok" Annabeth went back to find Percy, her mind back in Luke's room. Luke was like her brother, being close to him made her feel warm and safe, now away from him she felt empty inside. She took a deep breath and walked back up to Percy, Thalia and Grover who were sat next to the canoe lake  
"What did Chiron want? Are you ok, you look upset" Percy asked  
"I'm fine, Chiron didn't want me, it was Hermes, he wanted to know if I had plans for Mount Olympus statues" she lied.  
She sat and stared down at a group of Naiads playing an underwater sport.  
Chiron had told her the whole story of what Luke had done to save himself from Kronos, it was horrible, the thought of him stabbing himself, knowing he could kill himself was horrible, she wanted to cry.  
"Are you sure you're ok?" Thalia asked.  
Annabeth nodded again.  
"Well when you were away some kid came past and started shouting that the gods and Chiron have hidden someone in the sick room" Percy laughed "Imagine that"

Grover nodded "It's odd like, I've never seen Argus outside that place for so long"  
Percy grinned "Maybe they have Thalia's twin sister up there"  
"Two of them, noo" Grover started to joke  
"Yeah, and just like Thalia she likes to kill men, because we smell to The Hunters"  
"Shut it seaweed brain" Thalia warned

"It could be a monster, injured in a fight" Grover added  
"No, Clarisse looked fine to me this morning" Percy smiled  
Annabeth stayed quiet, tears filling up in her eyes, if only they knew.  
"Well whatever is up there" Percy glanced up at the house "Must be dangerous if they have to keep it locked up"  
"IT" Annabeth screamed at him "You have no idea so just shut up Percy"  
Everyone looked at her, including the Naiads

"Is they a problem Annabeth? Because I think you want to say something" Percy shouted back to her, a few campers where watching.  
Annabeth dried her face with her hand  
"You haven't seen him, you don't know, so don't even start, you've hated Luke every since he left, always wanted to see the dark side to him"  
Percy felt his jaw drop  
"Luke?" he roared "He's here isn't he?"  
Annabeth closed her eyes; she shouldn't have said anything  
Percy shouted louder

"IS LUKE CASTELLAN HERE?"  
The full camp froze; everyone stopped what they were doing to look.  
She nodded. Percy got to his feet and went to find Chiron. Why hadn't he been told, after all Luke had done to him.  
In his anger Percy stormed to the main house, bumping into people, he heard a few people talking nearby  
"Luke is here?" "Who's Luke?" "You don't want to know" "He went bad"  
He came to the steps to the porch, he jumped them and found himself face to face with Hermes

"Percy hello"  
Percy felt heat in his cheeks  
"How's your son, Luke, I heard he's here, should of let us know that monster is here" Percy shouted at him.  
"Percy calm down, you can't talk to a God like that" Chiron walked out the house and moved Percy away from Hermes, who was looking angry.  
"Look Percy, listen to me, Look I know you are angry but Luke needs to be here, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, we only let Annabeth know he was here as we needed her help, we were going to tell the camp in a few days time"  
Percy didn't take it in "Where is he?" He looked over at the sick house "He's over there isn't he" Percy pulled out Riptide from his pocket  
"Put that away" Hermes called over.

Chiron put his hands over Percy's shoulders  
"I know this has come to a shock to you and I would of chosen a better way for you and the camp to find out but, Luke's not a threat Percy"  
"He his, he is Kronos, they is no Luke, Luke is dead" Percy told him, Chiron shook his head  
"No Percy, the hero in the prophecy is not you, it is Luke, Luke's the hero, not you"  
That made Percy's blood boil  
"Oh, waking Kronos, nearly killing me and Annabeth a few times and trying to kill everyone at camp makes him a hero?"  
"No but Percy listen to me '_The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap' _was about Luke, Luke nearly killed himself, he stabbed himself to stop Kronos, Luke is a hero and if you like it or not he is staying"  
"Well said" came Hermes voice.


	8. Chapter 7

Chiron stood up, it was later on in the day and the camp had come into the Dining Pavilion to eat, all day rumours had spread through camp, some right, some half right and others very far from right. Chiron felt it was now time to put everyone right  
"Campers" Chiron addressed them all "Today, some of you may of heard gossip. Gossip is not always right and I would hate for you to go away with the wrong idea"  
"Is Luke Castellan really here?" an Aphrodite girl called out  
Chiron knew he had to tell them  
"Yes, Luke is back"  
All faces in the hall were sacred, apart from Thalia and Percy's, which showed hatred  
"Luke has changed, he's back on our side" Chiron raised his voice as the hall broke out with whispers. "Luke is a hero, he stopped Kronos and nearly killed himself, I think this is a courageous act"  
"No, not really" a girl from the Ares cabin shouted "If it wasn't for Luke, Kronos wouldn't have woken"  
"She has a point" Percy leaned over to the Athena cabin, Annabeth looked at Chiron and ignored him  
"Luke knows he has done wrong, he changed his ways, put things right, Luke made mistakes he is only human"  
"And part god" Dionysus added.  
"What I am trying to say is Luke will be rejoining us as soon as he's well again, when he returns I don't want anyone" Chiron's eyes met Percy's "Hurting him, just leave Luke alone, if you will not forgive him keep it to yourself, no one at this camp should be made to feel unwelcome"

"Will he be coming back to the Hermes cabin?" Connor Stoll asked.  
"As he is a son of Hermes, yes" Chiron looked at the Hermes cabin, the Stoll brothers faces fell  
"You can still be the counsellor of your cabin, but that is also Luke's cabin" Chiron added.  
"I'm moving out then, I'd rather sleep outside on the floor then have him anywhere near me" Travis muttered to his brother  
"You're not leaving me with him on my own...I'll join you outside" the two brothers agreed.

Chiron looked once more around the hall  
"Anyone who hurts him, bothers him in any way or makes him feel unwelcome will be banned from camp games, given last showers and made to do kitchen duty" Chiron sat down. The hall erupted into angry chatter  
"How is that fair?" A boy from the Athena cabin called to him  
"It's bullying" Chiron said simply  
"Ohh and sending monsters to kill us isn't" He muttered to his siblings.  
They all agreed with him, apart from Annabeth, who was eating her food.  
Chiron sent them to bed after dinner. The Stoll brothers broke into the camp store for extra blankets, if they started to sleep outside they would need them.

The next morning Chiron got up early, it was 7:30am, most of the camp was empty as it was a weekend and the campers slept in. Chiron walked up to the main house and went up to the attic; ignoring the Oracle in the corner he opened a chest draw. He pulled out a small jewellery box and opened it; he placed something in his pocket and went downstairs.  
He headed out to the sick room, Argus was at the door.  
Chiron walked up the stairs to the second floor and met Dionysus wearing a sour look, he'd been sitting with Luke through the night.

"I got put here as I drank too much and went after a nymph, fine. However I did not come here to take Heroes to the bathroom"  
he turned and banged on the door  
"Hurry up in there"  
Dionysus stood and banged his foot off the floor  
"First it was 'I'm going to be sick' then it was 'I need to use the bathroom', then he wanted to be sick again and now he wants to use the bathroom"  
The door opened  
"Finally, are you sure you don't want to be sick now" Dionysus said sarcastically to Luke.  
Chiron looked at him, a few days in bed had been good for him, some of the colour had come back into his face but he still looked sickly and tired.  
"No, I'll be sick on you" Luke muttered, Chiron walked near to him and walked him back into the room, Luke flopped down on the bed  
"Rude, so rude, should teach him some manors" Dionysus stood by the wall.  
"Can you go get him some breakfast" Chiron told him, Dionysus stormed off.  
"Can you sit up for me please" Chiron asked Luke, who got back up "I need to cheek the wounds"  
Luke let the centaur take his top off, he winched as his left arm was moved.  
"Still hurts" Chiron guessed. Luke nodded  
Chiron got out a pair of scissors and cut through the bandages on Luke's chest, the medicine Apollo give him had made the wounds heal, they were only a few scratches and scabs where the arrows had hit him  
"We'll keep the dressing off for now, let the air touch them" Chiron said, looking at Luke's thin chest, the boy needed feeding up.

"How's your arm?" Chiron reached out and took Luke's left arm and held it up, the wound was red and looked very sore. Chiron felt Luke's fingers and hand but when he got to Luke's elbow Luke pulled back  
"Sorry"  
his arm had suffered the most damage. Chiron pulled Luke's top over his head and put his left arm in a sling "Try not to rub or anything"

Chiron reached inside his pocket and pulled out a bead necklace  
"This is yours, you left it here when you went, I thought you would like it back" He handed it to Luke.  
Luke took it in his right hand, moving the clay beads over.  
"Thanks" he said  
Dionysus stormed into the room  
"His lordships' food is here, this time keep it down in your horrible gut, I don't want to clean up demigod vomit again"  
Dionysus laid a tray on Luke's legs  
"Eat" he ordered  
"You don't have to be so rude" Chiron told him. Dionysus stormed to the door  
"I'm going to play a game of pinochle, so I'll leave you with him". Dionysus slammed the door.  
"Why is he in such a mood?" Chiron asked  
"I was sick on him" Luke laughed  
Chiron walked over to the window and looked down; Dionysus had got a small group of Satyrs and headed off to the main house  
Luke was eating.  
"Are you up to going outside?" Chiron asked him. Luke swallowed, he looked nervous at Chiron's words  
"Is it safe?" Luke asked, Chiron looked at him, both were thinking the same.  
"I spoke to the camp last night"  
Luke picked up some toast and dipped it into an egg  
"I can't stay up here all the time" he said for his answer.  
"It's quite outside; I think it would be better if you get out early before everyone gets up"

Luke nodded at his words and filled his mouth with more food  
"Take it easy" Chiron told him, he went to find some clothes for Luke. He came back up with jeans and a plan white t-shirt.  
"I think these will fit you" he handed them to Luke. He took the empty tray away and left the room as Luke got dressed, it took him a while longer than normal to get dressed as he had to do it one handed  
Luke picked up the necklace and pulled it over his head, it felt right to him that it was on his neck, he tucked it under the shirt. He walked out into the passage and down the stairs, keeping very close to Chiron.  
"Argus your work is done, thank you" Chiron told him, he walked off back through the camp.  
Luke looked out through the door, it had been a long time since he'd smelt the fresh air and saw the sky.  
"It's ok" Chiron put his hand on Luke's back. He walked outside, looking at the trees and the lake  
"Zeus has told us that you have to stay here, if you walk out of camp he will kill you" Chiron told him.  
Luke nodded, he understood why Zeus had said that  
"He doesn't trust me, does he?" Luke's voice was blank; he looked up at the sky again, imaging Zeus watching him right now.  
"No, but in time" Chiron moved to the main house, leaving Luke alone.  
Luke stood with his back to the sick house wall, what was he to do now, where would he go. He looked over to the cabins, a camper in an orange t-shirt was beating a rug against the cabin wall. A satyr walked past, Luke looked down, hoping he wouldn't be noticed.  
He had never felt so awkward with himself. He looked back to the cabins, the Hermes cabin was closer to him, did he dare just walk into a cabin filled with Demigods with their knifes and swords, Luke's stomach clenched.  
He could knock on Annabeth's cabin, but one of her brothers or sisters could answer. He walked over to the main house, it was safe near Chiron. The centaur didn't mind as Luke came and sat on the stairs to the porch. Luke leaned down low, trying to hide himself from the eyes of the satyr.

The Ares and Aphrodite cabins woke first, they came out into the camp and headed for the dinning pavilion for breakfast, some shot Luke looks of pure poison when they saw him, others turned and walked away.  
"Luke, come with me and I'll take you to the Hermes cabin" Chiron said, he handed Luke a bag of toiletries and he held it in his right hand. He stood up and followed Chiron down the grass, he could feel eyes on the back of his head, everyone was watching, he turned and looked around; only a few people were out. He was being paranoid, than he remembered the Hermes cabin and the knifes.  
He hoped Chiron knew what he was doing.

Chiron knocked on the cabin door  
"Come in, it's open" A voice called from within  
Chiron opened the door, Luke stayed out of sight.  
"Chiron" Came two familiar voices. "Is this about the store room, cos we promise we didn't mean to steal again, it was the impulse, it was too great"  
"Blame our dad" Came Connor's voice  
"I'm not here for that" Chiron took Luke's arm and walked him into the room. Connor and Travis looked at each other, Luke was looking away. Chiron could feel the tension.  
"I'll leave you three to settle in" He left.  
Luke looked at the Stoll brothers, they looked back at him. No one spoke.

Luke sat on the bed nearest to the door, further away from the Stoll brother, who were still watching him.  
It was only them here, the other campers had left. Luke pretended to be interested in his bag  
The silence pressed on. He give a little glance up, they were still watching him.  
Luke could hear every heart beat, the birds in the trees outside, even other people walking outside.  
Still inside the Hermes cabin it was deadly quite.  
Travis broke it "So, you're back eh?" Luke looked up, both identical faces had an ugly look which told Luke to be on his guard, Luke didn't answer. He looked back down at the bag, reading the label on the shampoo  
"Ohh did the Titan lord take away your voice, I'm taking to you" Travis shouted at him, Luke ignored him, he didn't want a fight and he wasn't up to one.  
Travis got up, reached for his sword, Connor pulled him down  
"Don't he could be dangerous" Connor said quietly to his brother but Luke heard.

He needed to get out of here, the tension in this room was suffocation him. He stood and opened the door, he walked out right into some girls from the Apollo cabin, they screamed and ran away from him  
"Kronos" one screamed.  
Luke walked on, pretending he didn't care, he held his head up and walked to the lake, he sat down and looked in the water.  
A group of naiads were hitting a ball to each other, they giggled and laughed, he watched them, they looked up and saw him, a young looking one pointed up at him and they all swam off, with looks of pure terror on their faces.

Luke picked up a stone from the floor and smashed it into the water.  
"Ohh Kronos is angry" a boy whispered to his friend.  
Luke just sat there looking at himself in the water for an hour, feeling peoples eyes on him.  
"Luke" came a girl's voice. He turned and saw Annabeth walking to him; a few of her sisters held her back and shook their heads  
"He's my friend" Annabeth told them. They stood back and watched Luke as though he was a wild animal.  
"Hi" Luke put his hand in the water and made ripples.  
"How are you?" She asked  
Luke looked back at her siblings, a few girls recoiled  
"I'm carrying a highly infectious disease, if I give it to you, you become a mindless, soulless evil person" he said sourly.  
Annabeth looked back at her siblings to, they waved her over, mouthing words to her  
"It will get better" she said, she put her arm around his shoulders and pulled back straight away as Luke's face twisted with pain  
"Oh sorry I forgot about your arm" she said

"Annabeth are you OK" one of her sisters shouted  
"Get away from her, monster" a second voice said  
"Luke ignore them" she said as she saw his eyes water  
"I'm fine" he blinked and the wetness had gone  
"In a few weeks this will be all forgotten, please don't leave camp, I think you'll be safer here" Annabeth smiled at him, concern in her face  
"I can't leave, Zeus has forbidden me from leaving unless I want to die" Luke said the last part slowly.  
Annabeth's eyes went wide "Listen to me, you do not want to die" Annabeth looked right into his eyes.  
"I know" Luke said "I'm going back to the cabin, the sun's to bright, dam Apollo" he joked; he smiled at Annabeth and nearly ran from the lake. Annabeth watched him go with a heavy heart, Luke was feeling down and she knew it.  
She turned and walked back to her sisters.

Luke opened the door to the Hermes Cabin, the Stoll brothers were talking to someone through an Iris message  
"...Don't want him here, can't you have him, you have a home or something can't you take him?" Connor was saying  
"We can't sleep here, not with him in the same room, what if he kills us in the night" Travis complained  
"Or has a relapse and turns into Kronos, are you sure he's safe? Kronos could be inside him still"  
Luke had heard enough, he walked back outside, the Stoll brother didn't hear him.  
Luke headed out to the stadium, hoping it was empty.  
When he walked in a Hellhound met him, it came running up to him and licked him. Chiron had told him about Mrs O'Leary, the friendly hellhound, Luke reached up and rubbed her ears.

"Get your slimy hands off her" said a voice in his ear. He didn't have time to turn as hands grabbed him and slammed him into the stadium wall  
"I don't care what Chiron said about kitchen duty, last showers or banned from camp sports, if I cut his throat open it'll be worth it".  
A knife was held under his neck  
"Thalia please" Luke begged "I'm sorry"  
Thalia grabbed Luke's hair and pulled his head back  
"For what Luke, letting me die, poisoning my tree or trying to kill me, Percy and Annabeth, so come on tell us, which on are you sorry for" She pushed the blade into Luke's neck.  
"All of them, please just let me explain, it wasn't me I didn't know what I was doing"  
"Yes you did Luke, you had done all three of them things before Kronos took over".  
Luke looked past Thalia, a young boy he didn't know was stood next to Percy.  
Thalia pulled Luke's head back more, she lined the knife to his throat, it cut into him  
"I'm going to do it, I just want you to tell me why you want us three dead"

It was Lucky that Chiron came into the stadium at the second  
"Thalia let him go" He shouted, running over. Thalia let go of Luke, who stumbled away, breathing heavy.  
"Are you all right, she didn't hurt you did she?"  
Luke shook his head  
"Chiron, why are you standing up for him, look what he did to us" Percy shot Luke a foul look  
"Who is he?" the boy asked  
"Nico, this is Luke" Percy muttered, Nico frowned

"You have no right talking to me like that Perseus Jackson" Chiron thundered "Luke is a hero" Chiron give Luke a little rub.  
"Miss Grace, to the kitchen please" Chiron watched as Thalia walked off.  
"Come on Luke" Chiron said calmly to Luke. Chiron walked with Luke to the cabins  
"Go inside and try to get some rest, you look tired"  
Luke nodded. When he went inside the Stoll brothers had left.  
He moved his bag to the small bedside table and lay down,rubbing his neck and he closed his eyes.

The Stoll brother walked back in the cabin, Connor waited in the doorway and pointed to his brother "He's here" the Stoll brothers crept in and started to pack their belongings, after they had finished they moved back to the door. Luke woke  
The Stoll brothers froze. Both looked at Luke.  
"What now?" Luke snapped  
"Ohh he does talk" Connor said  
"We don't want to spend any time near you, so were moving outside until you go" Travis said  
"That's going to be hard" Luke scowled back. He jumped off the bed and walked to the door, it was time for dinner. The bell rang as Luke walked over to the dinner pavilion; he sat near the door at the Hermes table. People entered and sat away from him.  
When the Stoll brothers entered, they sat on the other end of the table, far away from Luke.  
Chiron watched sadly as Luke stared up at the ceiling, the poor lad was having a bad time, as Chiron watched people were looking at him, whispering behind their hands, in fact most people in the room were whispering, it sounded like a swarm of angry bee's.

Annabeth looked over with sympathy, Luke didn't need this too.  
Dionysus stood when everyone was inside

"Good evening, I see what none of you got eaten today, I am disappointed. Tomorrow I want better, I want at least two injuries and at least one murder, I look to Mr. Castellan for that murder"  
Luke felt sick, everyone was laughing. Tears ran down Annabeth's face.  
'Ignore them, they not worth it' Luke thought to himself, heat rising in his face  
Dionysus sat down, Chiron shot him a warning look.  
The food appeared on peoples plates, Luke started to eat but his mouth was very dry. People kept looking over at him, he knew everyone was talking about him.  
Luke filed his plate with gravy, his chips and sausages were hard to eat. He tried to eat with one hand, often rubbing his neck where the blade had grazed him.

"I'd like to say tomorrow's game of Capture the Titan; sorry I meant flag has been called off due to safety fears from a monster at camp, don't worry Luke, I'm not talking about you" Dionysus was clearly enjoying himself, he thought this was great, wind the boy up after he'd been sick on him.  
The hall laughed again.  
Luke struggled on, feeding himself with his good hand, his arm was shaking.  
Percy looked at Mr.D, it was well known he didn't like demigods but this was going too far...

"Oh" Dionysus stood up again "The Kronos army recruitment has sent me a letter, they want some of Hermes children to apply" The hall laughed again, this time the Stoll brothers didn't join in  
"To join, you must be willing to allow Kronos inside your body, have blonde hair, blue eyes and go by the name of Luke Castellan" Dionysus roared with laughter.  
Luke couldn't take it no more, he stood up and walked out the hall  
"And they he goes now" Dionysus laughed, the whole hall joined in

Once outside Luke looked up at the borders surrounding Camp, he couldn't go on like this, everything he'd been through, to finally come back to a place he thought he could be safe and all he got was mocked. Luke felt tears run down his face. He hoped Annabeth wouldn't be angry with him, she would understand.  
He looked up to the sky and hoped Zeus would make it quick.  
He had never given suicide a thought before, he wiped his eyes.

and he ran to the border.


	9. Chapter 8

He ran and ran, up the hill  
"Luke no" someone shouted from behind him, he kept running. He wanted it all to end.  
He was so close to the boundaries now, just a few more feet to climb. He came to flat ground and right ahead was the tree that marked the boundaries. He ran to the tree.  
His legs tripped and he fell, right on his face"I'm not going to let you do this Luke"  
a second voice said, more closer to hand. Luke gave a sob, why was this man so content on ruining his life.

Luke tried to get up but something had crawled onto of him, holding him down. The man picked Luke up off the floor and dragged him down the hill, it was Hermes. Luke struggled to get away from him, looking back at the boundaries  
Chiron meet them at the bottom  
"Thank you, so lucky you saw him"  
Chiron turned to Luke "Luke, Why did you do that, you could of been killed, what were you thinking, don't ever do that again"  
Luke broke out of Hermes grip and turned away from them, he just wanted to be alone.  
"Luke" Hermes called him back  
Chiron walked over to Luke and held both his shoulders, Luke looked away from him  
"Ignore Dionysus, I'll have a word with him, he's not worth killing yourself over"  
That got Luke's back up, Hermes was watching him, Luke didn't want to feel like a coward  
"Him get to me?" Luke's voice shook a little "He's not even worth being a god"

Luke wrenched away from Chiron who let him go. Hermes followed his son  
"Luke, just tell me what's wrong" Hermes said, concern in his voice. Luke walked on and ignored him  
Hermes and Chiron followed Luke over to the lake  
"Will you just leave me alone" Luke asked, he turned and looked out over the water

"Who's been upsetting you" came Hermes voice

"Don't you even dare pretend you care about me, you've never cared about me, you're only here now to make yourself look good, you all wonder why I went to Kronos when none of you care about your children" Luke shouted "I wish Kronos was my father, at least he seemed to care a little, he told me you never loved me and now I know it's true, Kronos offered me a better life"  
All the anger Luke felt at his father came out, he stood looking across the lake and out to the hills in the distance, his whole body shook  
Chiron looked at him, concern in his face  
"Luke, people don't try to kill themselves for no reason at all, someone has upset you, please tell us and we can put it right".

Luke continued to look at the water  
"It would of been better if I was dead as everyone hates me, in my cabin they've all moved out as they think I'm going to spit poison at them"  
Hermes pulled out his snake phone and checked a message  
"Yes, I know about that, Connor and Travis sent me an Iris message earlier on, Luke I can talk to them if you want me to"  
Luke turned to him  
"I don't want any help from you, I don't need any help" Luke shot at Hermes "I'm going to the cabin"  
Without saying goodbye he walked off to bed.

Once inside the cabin Luke sat down on his bed, he was still shaking. He climbed into the bed happy to be alone at last, he dried his eyes and laid down, he had no Pyjamas to changeInto so he slept in his clothes, he rolled over, facing away from the door, in his dreams Kronos laughed at him, showed him his father also laughing at him

Hermes waited outside the dinning pavilion of his sons, once dinner finished everyone came flooding out  
"Connor, Travis, can I have a word" Hermes called out to them. The two boys looked honoured to have the chance to talk with their father.  
"Dad" Both said together.  
Hermes nodded his head to the side "Over here"  
Both boys walked with Hermes, he stopped and turned to them

"I'm very disappointed with you both!" He said, anger flared in his eyes. the two stepped backwards.  
"Sorry father, what have we done" Travis asked  
Hermes took a step closer to both of them, he seemed to grow, the boys looked scarred.  
"Why have you not been looking out for Luke?" Hermes pointed his staff at both of them "He's your brother, yet you are running him out"  
Connor and Travis looked at each other  
"Luke doesn't 't care, he doesn't want to be here and we don't want him here, it's hard to sleep in the same cabin with him, knowing what he's had inside him" Travis said  
Hermes towed over him  
"Luke is your brother, you will get your items and return to the cabin and you will make Luke feel welcome, I've been watching you, you've been sitting away from him, calling him names and what do you think your doing getting your blade out to him?" Hermes voice was quick and low, his most dangerous voice.  
The boys took another step back  
"Go to bed, say sorry to Luke and stand by his side, now get out of my sight before I do something I'll regret" Hermes' snakes hissed. The boys walked quickly away and once sure Hermes could not see, they broke into a run.

Outside the cabin Travis and Connor looked at each other  
"He's been watching us?" Connor asked him, he shrugged.  
They opened the door, Luke was in bed asleep. They watched him, he was restless, his eyes twitched.  
"We'll take it in turns, I'll stay up and watch him half the night, you keep watch the other half, you OK with that? Travis asked  
His brother nodded, at the same time a loud banging hit their cabin, Luke slept on. They could hear a snake hiss  
"He's out there listening to us?" Connor said, at that moment Hermes stepped in behind them.  
"Hope you're not staying up now"  
The boys shook their head "No". Hermes watched them get into bed and turned back to Luke, he put a hand over Luke head and stroked his hair gently. Luke's dreams changed, they became calm and the laughing stayed all night, watching Luke sleep.

Luke woke the next morning, Connor and Travis had returned sometime in the night, they turned and looked at him.  
Hermes was nowhere to be seen. Connor turned and mouthed to Travis  
"You"  
Luke rolled over on to his back, rubbing his eyes and squinting at the bright sun coming through the window.  
Travis walked slowly near to Luke; he pretended to be looking at something in the next bed along from Luke's  
"Em Luke, me and Connor would like to apologize for em..." He looked at his brother, who shrugged  
"Well were sorry for our actions over the past few days" Travis said.  
Luke was taken back with shock "OK, no problem" he tried to hide how much that meant to him.  
"We can get you some nightwear from the town shops, we noticed you haven't got any" Connor added. Luke smiled for real. The two brothers felt relief, Hermes wouldn't be angry now.

Hermes was over by the climbing wall, watching a demigod struggle to avoid the lava.  
"Morning Perseus" He called up.  
Percy turned, Hermes was watching him.  
"Hi" Percy turned back to the wall and jumped to the side, he'd nearly been burned to a crisp. He reached out and pulled himself to the top.  
Percy stood up and looked out at the camp, the morning sun shone down into the lake

"Say you come down, I want to talk" Hermes called up to him. Percy jumped down into the sand below.  
Percy looked at Hermes  
"Luke wants to talk, will you hear him out?"  
Percy sort of expected that, Hermes was Luke's father after all but why should Percy listen to Luke after what Luke did to them. Hermes smiled as Percy though that  
"I'm sure Luke feels bad for trying to kill you"  
Percy stared at him, he was sure gods could read minds.  
"What does Luke want to say"  
Hermes though for abit, his phone rang "One sec" he pulled out his phone and took a call.  
Percy watched him, he hung up.  
"Luke wants to talk, just someone to talk to, you were once a friend of his" That got Percy's back up  
"Luke was never my friend"  
Hermes nodded "He was, just talk to him please"  
With that Hermes vanished.

It was nearly lunch time when Percy and Luke came face to face. Percy was talking to Chiron outside the main house and Luke came walking out. The two boys locked eyes for a few seconds.  
"If you're going to rip each other's heads off get on with it" Dionysus said, he was stretched out over three chairs.  
"Dionysus, here at camp we encourage non-violent behaviour remember" Chiron reminded him.  
"Whatever" Dionysus put sunglasses over his eyes and went to sleep.  
Percy remembered Hermes words  
"Do you want to talk?" Percy asked him, unsure if Luke would even answer him  
"If you want" Luke said, he wondered what Percy wanted to talk about  
Chiron watched very closely as the two boys walked over to the strawberry field.  
"Have they killed each other yet?" Dionysus asked sleepy  
"No" Chiron said "Just talking"  
"Good, I haven't missed the best part" Dionysus sat up and picked up a Diet Coke

"Dionysus wasn't very nice to you last night" Percy said "He went too far"  
Luke thought it was bit rich, this coming from Percy  
"Maybe"  
"Your father wasn't too happy, he pushed Dionysus up the wall by his neck after you left the hall"  
Luke stopped  
"He was in the hall?"  
Percy nodded  
"yeah about half a hour after you left, why"  
"None of your business" Luke said, some of the sourness in his voice returned.  
"So what do you want Jackson?" Luke asked.  
Percy looked at the strawberries; if he was truthful he didn't know the answer to that.  
"I've been told to talk to you, someone said you wanted to talk" Percy said  
Luke looked at him  
"Well, you were wrong" Luke turned and started to walk away  
"Luke" Percy called back. He stopped and looked back  
"Chiron told me the prophecy was about you, that you were the hero" Percy walked back to him  
"The way he said it, it was like you saved us all from Kronos, as in that Hero, is that right?"

Luke looked down at his left arm, it was still damaged from him stabbing his Achilles spot, Percy looked at it too  
"What you looking at Jackson" Luke hissed at him when he saw Percy looking.  
"You tried to kill yourself to stop Kronos, but you didn't die" Percy said  
"Well observed" Luke said sarcastically.  
"So you were the hero" Percy told him  
"Will you stop telling me I'm a hero, I'm not, all this was my fault, so I'm not a hero" Luke voice betrayed him, the wanted to sound angry but all the emotions he'd been feeling these past days came out in his voice, something Percy noticed  
"But in the end you done what's right" Percy looked Luke in the eye.

They was a silence between them.  
Over by the main house Dionysus was now sitting on the rails  
"Yes, here it comes, the exciting part" He beamed.

Luke met Percy's eyes  
"I'm sorry"  
Percy watched him  
"What for?"  
Luke give him a small smile  
"For trying to kill you, I wasn't thinking right, Kronos told me the gods didn't love me and those who followed them had be killed, I'm really sorry Percy"

Percy didnt know what to do, so he just smiled back at Luke  
"It's OK, I know Kronos can get into your head, he tried with me, I'll forgive you as long as you promise not to hit me with that scorpion ever again, he hurt"  
Luke grinned at him  
"I promise"  
Percy nodded "Then I forgive you"  
Annabeth had been watching behind a tree, she came walking out and walked slowly up to Luke and Percy  
"Have you two made it up yet?" she asked.  
"yeah" Percy smiled at Luke

"And good, no more trying to kill each other" She got both boys into a hug  
"Annabeth" Percy complained  
"Watch my arm" Luke moaned

"No!, I wanted blood, guts, not hugs" Dionysus groaned "Can you see what they doing?"  
"Yes, I'm happy Luke has his friends back" Chiron smiled at him  
"Well I'm not, this is the worse day I've ever had" Dionysus sat in despair.

They was truth in Annabeth's words, in the weeks that followed Luke put up with people watching him, talking about him or just avoiding him, but now he had Percy and Annabeth to keep him company when he wanted to talk.  
Thalia stayed away from him, he guessed some wounds just run to deep to heal.  
At meal times the Stoll brothers would sit next to him, looking around just in case their father was watching them, making half hearted conversation with Luke.  
After a few weeks people started to talk about other things, boring things like who will make the next chariots for the new race or who the Ares campers were beating up.  
Luke liked it like this; he was no longer the centre of attention. They was one thing still sitting on his mind. His father

No matter how he was feeling Luke still wondered if his father cared about him or not.  
He took a walk over to the lake before curfew one night and sat down looking at the Naiads; they smiled and waved up at him. He smiled down at them, thinking.  
His father had abandoned him when he was young and he had offered him a quest that ended in people pitying him and his scar but his father had saved his life.

'Hey Luke, have you a guinea-pig for me?'  
He looked down, a snake had crawled near his feet  
"No he hasn't" Came a man's voice.  
Hermes came and sat down next to Luke, he looked into his sons face  
"How are you?" Hermes asked  
Luke looked back down into the water  
"I see your arm feels better" Hermes pointed to Luke's left arm, the bandages and sling had gone  
Luke nodded  
"Yeah, it still itches under my armpit, a little embarrassing like, people look at me as if I have poor hygiene" Luke laughed.  
Hermes smiled "It makes me very happy to see you laugh again"  
"Mm" Luke rubbed his head, as he did he looked quickly at his father, he was wearing his jogging bottoms again.  
Hermes saw him looking, he smiled again at Luke who quickly looked away again, he reached into his top and pulled out his camp necklace and started to play with it near his mouth.  
"Does that taste nice?" Hermes asked, Luke smiled and dropped it.  
Luke didn't know what to say to him, he had to know if his father really did love him or if Kronos had been telling the truth

"Kronos told me you didn't love me, he told me the gods didn't care about me, he said Chiron was lying and that you used me and you couldn't care less what had become of me" Luke said, looking at the floor.  
"What do you think" Hermes asked him.  
Luke hesitated, what if Hermes got angry and killed him right now, then he remembed, none of the gods came to help him, none of them cared about him.  
"I don't think they care and I don't think you love me"

"When you left I blamed myself, I should of told you your destiny when you asked me, Kronos told you lies Luke, When you went I felt lost without you, I didn't know where you went or if you were safe and I had that guilt inside me until we found you again. I do love you, you may not think it, but you are my world" Hermes said

"You do love me then" Luke muttered  
"Course I do Luke, you're my pride and joy, how can I not love you" he ruffled Luke's hair  
Luke smiled, he watched as Hermes pulled out a clear bag from a bag around his side, he emptied it at George's mouth

'Guinea-pig!'

Luke laughed as Martha moaned and George opened his mouth to swallow the rodent.  
"That will keep them happy" Hermes chucked the plastic away "Don't worry the harpies will eat that"  
Hermes reached into his pocket and took something out, he looked at Luke watching the snakes eat

"I've got something for you, if you want it"  
Luke looked at him, he held out his hand and dropped a rope bracelet in Luke's hand.  
Luke looked at it, two black ropes joined a silver circle, inside the circle was his name and under his name was the sign of Hermes, The Caduceus.  
Luke was speechless, The rope was soft but very strong.  
"If you ever want to talk to me, press the middle and I'll come" Hermes told him "I think you've been ignored for too long and I'm sorry"

Luke eyes filled with tears, he blinked them away quickly, he turned to his father and put his arms around him, hugging him. Hermes smiled and put his arms around his son, happy that his Luke was back, Luke held on to him, not wanting to let go, for the first time in his life Luke was now feeling what it was like to be loved.

'Awww isn't that the sweetest thing ever' Martha beamed, her snake looked like it was smiling  
'No, this Guinea-pig is' George lifted his mouth, the guinea-pig's feet were sticking out, he swallowed and it went down.  
'Men' Martha moaned

**************************************************************************************************************************************************  
The end, hope you liked it, no gods, demigods (apart from Luke), centaurs or other things were harmed in the making of this fanfic  
X


End file.
